Love of the Past
by Jadesaber
Summary: What if Gohan traveled back in time instead of Trunks? What would it change? GhxVg
1. Default Chapter

**Summary**: What if Gohan had gone back to the past to warn everyone about the androids instead of Trunks. And he still has his tail. What new problems would this cause? (Gh x Vg)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own DragonBall Z nor any of its characters. They belong to their creator.

**WARNING**: This story is Yaoi (male/male pairing). If you don't like it then don't read it. Don't complain to me about it later. The rating is R for now for future limes and might be raised if I decide to attempt a lemon.

**A/N**: Just a few things before I start the story. One, Mirai no Gohan still has his tail, but his past self doesn't. It's explained why in the story. There are several inconsistencies in the time frame of the show:

1) Trunks doesn't exist, Bulma and Vegeta never get together.

2) Bulma builds the time machine 11 years after the androids arrive which makes Mirai no Gohan 22 when he travel back the first time.

3) Gohan may be a little out of character but keep in mind what he's been through since the androids arrived. (If you've seen The History of Trunks you'll know what I'm talking about.)

4) Vegeta may seem a little out of character but I've characterized him the way I see him. He can't always be tough.

5) I don't remember the exact time frame of when Trunks said the androids would show up from the time he arrived. So if the dates are wrong just try to ignore it. They work well for me in this story.

That's basically it. If you keep these things in mind and try to be open about the story, I think you'll enjoy it. Oh, and the first chapter is in Mirai no Gohan's POV. So, all that said, on with the story!!

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            It had been surprisingly easy to defeat Freeza. I had still held onto the fear of him I'd had as a child, but compared to the androids of my time he was nothing. I almost can't believe that I was ever afraid of him. He was all talk and no action. I finished him in under two minutes. He couldn't even lay a hand on me. The others were surprised when they saw me. They arrived just in time to see me finish off Freeza and his father. In my time we all arrived and, after a really hard fight, my dad arrived and helped us finish them off.

            So, now we're all sitting around, waiting for my father, who should be arriving in another hour. I think Vegeta was pissed when he saw me. He hasn't reached Super Saiyan yet, and it must really grate on his nerves that I've achieved it as well as my father. Of course, none of the others knows who I am. I haven't given them my true name, that would raise more questions and cause more problems than I'm up to dealing with yet. I've told them my name is Mirai. Which, in a way, is true. I am Mirai no Gohan.

            I glance over at my younger self. He's talking to Krillen about seeing his dad again. Yamcha and Tien and sitting off to the side. Yamcha is fidgeting a little. I decapsulized a mini fridge and offered everyone soda's, Yamcha and Krillen are playing with the empty cans. Piccolo drank one of the bottles of water and is now floating in the air a few feet away, meditating. Bulma is fiddling with one of her gadgets. And that brings me to Vegeta. Vegeta has been staring, or should I say glaring, at me for the last two hours. He's also been mumbling to himself under his breath. I don't think he realizes that I can hear him. He can probably tell that I'm not a full Saiyan. I don't smell like one. But I do have the heightened senses. My hearing is probably as good as Vegeta's and my dad's. Course, even if Vegeta did know who I was he probably wouldn't know that I have the heightened senses because they didn't really appear until I reached about fourteen.

            The strange thing is, I still have my tail, while my younger self doesn't. I haven't asked why since that would lead to awkward questions of why I want to know. I have to smirk at what Vegeta is saying. I actually don't really mind the fact that he's looking at me. I've been watching him too, although I don't think he's noticed, and it's for an entirely different reason. He's back to wondering how there can be another Saiyan he didn't know about, much less another Super Saiyan. It's the tenth time he's brought that up since we started waiting.

            I shake my head, his comments are starting to get old. Finally, I can't take it anymore and respond to his questions.

            "Just deal with it and move on." I whisper just load enough for him to hear, turning to look at him fully. "I am a Saiyan and I have achieved the level of Super Saiyan."

            His eyes widen for a moment in surprise, then he glares and me for a moment, before turning his back to me. Well, he knows about my hearing now. I shouldn't have said anything, I really don't like to anger or offend him, but it was getting on my nerves. I glance back at my past self, but he hasn't noticed anything. He hasn't been staring at Vegeta either. Apparently there is quite a bit of difference between him and me other than the difference in age. By the time I was his age I had already acknowledge and resigned myself to the fact that I had a crush on the Saiyan Prince. Since then my feelings have deepened, even though this is the first time I've seen him in almost ten years.

            As I turn my gaze to the sky I catch sight of Piccolo staring at me out of the corner of my eye. As soon as he realizes that I've seen him, he looks away and resumes his meditation. I'm sure he heard what I said to Vegeta, I know that he hasn't been meditating that deeply. Oh well, it's not like I've given anything away. I can sense my dad coming closer. He'll be here soon. I can't tell if the others have noticed him yet or not, they aren't reacting if they have. But, then again, maybe they aren't trying to find him. I've been able to sense him since I arrived, but then, I've been "keeping an eye on him" so to speak.

            I go over what I'm going to say again in my mind. I've pretty much got my speech planed out. I reach into my pocket and feel the small vile of medicine the Bulma in my time gave me just before I left. She's become like a second mother to me since Dad died. I haven't been back to see mom in years, mainly because I can't handle her hanging on me and crying and going on about how her "little boy" is going to get himself killed. I ceased being her little boy, whether she realizes it or not, the day that my father died. And I lost what little was left of my childhood when the androids showed up and killed all the others. It's really good to see everyone again, even if they don't know who I am. I wish that, just for a moment, I could be in my past self's shoes and joke around with Krillen, talk and train with Piccolo, and go fishing with my father. I miss them all so much, even with them all here now I feel like too much an outsider to really enjoy being with them. I pick-up the can of soda beside me and finish it's contents, then disintegrate it with a small ki burst. The others look at as I stand and re-capsulize the mini fridge.

            "Goku will be here in a few minutes." I say by way of explanation.

            The others frown for a moment, probably reaching out with their ki senses. One by one they detect my father's energy and smile. I merely start walking to where I know he will be landing. The others dispose of their cans and follow me. We reach the area where I remember my father landing and wait. I stand a few meters off to the side, not wanting to interrupt their initial reunion. A few minutes later I can faintly hear the whistling of my dad's ship entering the atmosphere. I look up, noting that Piccolo had already turned his gaze upward and Vegeta had raised his head as well. The others looked at us in confusion for a moment, then copied us, staring up at the sky.

            Vegeta and I were probably the first to spot the ship. Piccolo's Namekian hearing may be better than a Saiyan's, but a Saiyan's eyesight is sharper. I watch the ship descending. It's basically a slightly larger version of the ships that Vegeta and Nappa first arrived in. Actually, in my time, Bulma used some of the components and computer systems to construct the time machine I used to come here.

            The ship hits the ground hard, creating another crater in the desert landscape. I brace myself against the earthquake it causes and squint a little at the dust cloud kicked up by the impact. Piccolo grilled into me a long time ago to never close your eyes because of a little dust, your enemy can use that to his advantage. After getting pounded several times I finally learned my lesson.

            As the dust cloud clears the hatch of the ship opens and my father climbs out. He's wearing a pair of loose white pants and a loose white shirt with a colorful, frilled collar. I remember the outfit, and mom's reaction to it when he got home. I still don't know how he managed to convince her to let him keep it. He kept it in a chest in the back of the closet for years.

            "Daddy!" My younger self cries as he rushes up to his father.

            They embrace warmly, my father picking him up and putting him on his shoulder. I have to smile a little at that. Father would be surprised at how much I've grown. I'm only a few inches shorter than him now. After they greet each other my father walks toward the rest of the group waiting on the edge of the crater. He puts my younger self down and happily greets his friends. Piccolo and Vegeta stand apart from the welcoming committee but he still greets them warmly. Piccolo merely nods his head in greeting and Vegeta simply grunts. Neither one is very good at showing affection, no matter how they feel.

            "Looks like you guys managed to beat Freeza. Who was it?" My father asks, looking around at everyone. "Was it you, Piccolo? Or you Vegeta?"

            "Actually it was him." Piccolo replies, nodding in my direction. "Mirai defeated him."

            My father looks over at me, just now noticing that I'm there. He looks surprised.

            "Really? All by himself?"

            My younger self nods happily. "Yeah, dad. Mirai is a Super Saiyan. He beat Freeza and his father easily."  
            My father's eyes widen slightly as he stares at me. "Really? A Super Saiyan? Wow. That's amazing. A Super Saiyan? At his age?"

            "Hn. That's not possible, you know." Vegeta speaks up. "Kakorott, his brat, and I are the only Saiyan's left."

            "Well you must have missed one." Piccolo counters. "You saw the same thing we did."

            Vegeta simply turns away. I take the opportunity to walk up to my father.

            "Fa . . . Goku, may I speak with you?" I ask, before glancing at the others. "Alone?"

            He shrugs. "Sure. Hey guys, Mirai and I are going to go talk for a minute. I'll be right back."

            We walk back through the crater towards his ship.

"Is this good enough?" He asks as we reach it.

            I look back towards the others. Piccolo will probably be able to hear everything, but I trust him not to reveal anything he doesn't need to. Vegeta might be able to hear us, but if we move farther away the others might get suspicious, so I'll have to risk it and hope that he won't reveal anything.

            "This is fine." I finally reply, turning back to look at him.

            "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He asks, smiling at me.

            A few years ago I might have had trouble keeping a smile from appearing on my face. My father just has that effect on people. But now, after everything I've been through, it's easy for me to keep my face serious.

            "I've come here to warn you." I start, watching his face turn serious as well. "Vegeta was right when he said that you, Gohan, and he are the only Saiyan's left."

            "Huh?"

            "I'm not from here. I've come from the future to warn you about a new threat."

            "The future? Really?"

            "Yes. Two years from now, on an island 90 miles southwest of South City, a destructive duo will appear. That was eleven years ago in my time, and they've been terrorizing the planet ever since."

            "Are they aliens?"

"No, androids. Created here on Earth. They've already wiped out a half of the planet's population. I'm fighting them as much as I can, but it's two against one. I've managed to keep the damage down to a minimum. Their favorite form of entertainment right now is pounding me into the ground and afterwards they usually disappear for a month or so."

            "Wow?" My father replies, looking concerned, then he looks back up at me. "Wait. What about the other's? Aren't they helping you?"

            I shake my head. "They can't. They're all dead. Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillen, Yamcha, Tien, Chaotzu, their all going to lose their lives in the fight against the androids."

            "My gosh. That's awful. Wait, what about me? Do I die fighting the androids?"

            Again I shake my head. "No. You die before. About a year and a half from now your going to catch a radical new heart virus. You're going to die from it."

            "Really? Wow, that sucks. Killed by a virus. I don't even get a chance to fight."

            I smile a little now. He's exactly the way I remember him. Always eager and ready to fight.

            "I think you can make a difference. That's one of the reasons I came back to this time. There isn't a cure for the virus in this time, but in mine there is." I reach into my pocket and pull out the vile, tossing it to him. "Here. Take this when you start to get sick and you'll be fine."

            He catches the vile and looks at it. Then he smiles. "Really? Thanks. Hey, it's purple, I bet its grape!"

            I have to shake my head at that. Bulma was one who made up this batch of the medicine. She specifically gave it a grape flavor because it's one of my father's favorite. I faintly hear a snicker and look over his shoulder to see Vegeta shaking his head at his fellow pure bloods antics. Piccolo simply looks embarrassed, probably because my father is stronger than he is, but acts like such a child sometimes.

            "Hey, Mirai?"

            I turn back to my father. "Yeah?"

            "If you're from the future, then that means you're around now, doesn't it?"

            "Yes." I'm actually surprised he realized that.

            "Do I know you?"

            I simply nod my head, then point past him. "Actually, I'm standing right over there."

            He collapses on the ground in surprise and I have to laugh when I faintly make out Vegeta's comment.

            "He just pointed his finger and Kakorott fell down."

            I look at the rest of the group. They seem confused about what it going on, all except Piccolo. He's staring at my younger self in surprise, then he shifts his gaze to me. I smile faintly at him and nod my head. My father finally gets back up and stares at me for a moment.

            "Gohan?"

            I smile at him. "Yes."

            "Wow! You've grown!" He exclaims, his surprised look changing to his trademark smile. "You look great!"

            "Thank you." I reply, blushing faintly. "It's really good to see you again father. It's been too long."

            The sound of feet crunching on the sand alerts me to the fact that someone is walking toward us. I look up and see Vegeta stalking forward, a deep frown on his face. My father turns see what I'm looking at. He looks surprised to Vegeta come up beside him.

            "Vegeta, what are you . . .?" He starts, but Vegeta cuts him off.  
            "Brat, you expect us to just believe that you are who you say you are?" He asks angrily. "If you're really Kakorott's spawn then why do you still have a tail?"

            "Hey, that's right." My father says, noticing the thick tail wrapped around my waist. "Gohan doesn't have his tail anymore. He lost it years ago."

            "I don't know why he doesn't have one. I never lost mine. Piccolo tried to remove it a few times while he training me, but it kept coming back. The last time was during the fight with Vegeta and Nappa. Father, you beat Nappa and Vegeta, you killed him because he had lost. My tail grew back and, thanks to the energy ball you created to simulate the moon so you could transform, I transformed into Oozaru form. Yajirobi cut off your tail, Vegeta, and father and I defeated you. After you were knocked out the energy ball disappeared and I returned to normal." I explain, watching their expressions.

            "Gohan lost his tail in that fight. Vegeta cut it off right before we defeated him. It never grew back after that." My father explains, looking confused.

            "How do you know about the Oozaru form, brat?" Vegeta asks.

            I shake my head a little. He's probably not going to be too happy with the answer. It'll probably ruin his tough-guy image. But, he did ask.

            "From you." I reply honestly. "In my time, before you died, I asked you to teach me about Saiyan's. You taught me their culture, traditions, history, and other things."

            They're both silent for a moment, absorbing the new information. Then my father smiles and starts to laugh.

            "Teach? You mean as in sitting down and talking? Vegeta?" He asks incredulously, still laughing.

            Vegeta snarls at him, and responds, "And who else was going to teach the boy how to be a true Saiyan? You? You don't know a thing about them. Of course I'd teach the brat if he asked. Someone has to pass down the knowledge of our race."

            My father stops laughing and gets a thoughtful look on his face. Then he simply nods.

            "That's true."

            "So, are you satisfied that I am who I said I am?" I ask, more to Vegeta than my father.

            "For now, brat."

            "Good." I say, turning to leave.

            "Where are you going?" My father asks.

            "Back to my time. I'll come back in two years. But it's about time for the androids to strike again." I reply, taking to the air.

            "We'll see you in two years then." My father calls after me.

            I nod and fly away. As I fly I pull a capsule from my pocket. When I reach a deserted spot I land and decapsulized it, revealing my time machine. I hop in and set the coordinates. The machine rises and is soon swallowed into a vortex of colors. It only takes about minute to get home and I land outside what's left of Capsule Corp.

            "Bulma?" I call, climbing out of the machine. "Are you here?"

            "Of course I'm here, Gohan. Where else would I be?" She replies, stepping out of the house. "How did it go?"

            "Pretty well. My father was surprised when he found out who I was, so was Piccolo. I managed to get Vegeta angry, and I don't think he trusts me, but I gave my father the medicine and warned him about the androids. I think they're going to train for when they come." I say as I re-capsulize the time machine and walk with her back into the house.

            "That's great. So, how was everyone?" Bulma asks, sitting down at the battered table in the dinning room.

            "They looked fine. It was really great seeing everyone again. I've really missed them." I admit, sitting down as well.

            "I'm glad your trip was a success. And the time machine worked just fine?"

            "Yep, it worked just the way you said it would."

            "Good."

            We sit in silence for a moment before a distant explosion shakes the walls of the building. I leap to my feet; instinctively flaring my ki senses, although I know it's in vain. The androids have no ki signal.

            "Damn those two. I was hoping they would give me a break this time and come later." I grind out, my teeth clenched as I head for the door.  
            "Gohan, you just got back. Do you have to fight them so soon?" Bulma calls, even though she knows what my answer will be.

            "If I don't then they'll destroy the city and kill lots of innocent people. You know how they are." I call back, already outside.

            As I take to the air I can faintly hear her call after me, "I'll get the med room ready!"

            I have to shake my head at that. It's not that she has no confidence in me; it's just that this has been going on for so long that she knows what to expect. Another explosion shakes the ground as I head off to face the killers of my time again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: What if Gohan had gone back to the past to warn everyone about the androids instead of Trunks. And he still has his tail. What new problems would this cause? (Gh x Vg)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own DragonBall Z nor any of its characters. They belong to their creator.

**WARNING**: This story is Yaoi (male/male pairing). If you don't like it then don't read it. Don't complain to me about it later. The rating is R for now for future limes and might be raised if I decide to attempt a lemon.

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Erinn-chan**: I'm glad you like my story so far. The whole time-paradox thing can be confusing and I'm not really sure how to explain it, sorry. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter too.

**Kelsi**: Well, here's the update you asked for. I hope you enjoy it!

**Android 71**: Thank you for the compliment of asking if you could add my story to your website. I've read some of the other work there and it's good. To answer your first question, no Gohan still has both of his arms. Since Trunks doesn't exist for this story, and in the show he lost his arm defending Trunks, he would still have it if Trunks didn't exist. Plus I think he looks better with both arms intact.

**AnNiE4**: I'm glad you like the story so much. I sometimes like reading other peoples stories better than writing my own too. I'm also glad you liked that line. I thought it was funny too! That's why I put it in there. I agree with you that the future Gohan is a lot cooler than they made him in the past time-line. I couldn't stand the whole Saiyaman bit. That was just stupid, and he was favorite character until that point too!

**PyroVegeta**: Well, you get to see a little bit of their relationship developing in this chapter. It's from Vegeta's POV, so it should be interesting. And here's the update you asked for!

**Alatariel Sergeon**: I'm glad you like it so far. Here's more for you!

**Sorceress Fujin:** Here's another chapter for you! Enjoy!

**A/N:** This chapter is in Vegeta's POV. Now, on with the story!

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We're all gathered on top of the Lookout. I've just finished venting at the boy from the future. We trained hard to prepare for the arrival of the androids he warned us about and found out after we had destroyed one and were about to finish the other, that the ones we fought weren't even the ones he was talking about. The second android we had encountered was actually Dr. Gero, the creator of the androids, in a new body and he escaped long enough to release the two the boy had warned us about. At least they destroyed him. Kind-of ironic, if you really think about it. The very things he worked so hard to create destroyed him. Unfortunately they also released another android before they left the lab. We don't know his capabilities yet because so far he has stayed out of the fights. But the other two managed to defeat all of us. Including me, the Prince of all Saiyans, now a true Super Saiyan. And it still wasn't enough!

            The boy should have warned us better. Told us more about their abilities, but he keeps insisting the ones in his time are not this strong, they just know how to work together and he's all alone. He didn't argue with me much, which is good because I needed to vent my frustration and anger or I was going to do something stupid. He was just a convenient and easy target. None of the others really knows him and wouldn't rush to defend him from my verbal assault. If I had tried to physically harm the boy then they probably would have done something, but I didn't. I know better than to destroy someone who could possibly help me win, at least not their usefulness has worn out. I think he knew all that and that's why he didn't bother defending himself.

            I have to admit, he's as good at controlling and hiding his feelings as the Namek and I am. He's almost the complete opposite of Kakorott's brat now. The brat is like his father, couldn't hide anything or keep a secret if their life depended on it.

            No ones talking right now. Everyone is trying to think of a solution to the problem of the androids and now the new threat, Cell. A biological creation of Dr. Gero's, who is stronger than either of the androids and, according to the Namek, was designed to absorb both the androids in order to reach his perfect form. Also according to the Namek, he was created using cells from him, Kakorott's brat, Kakorott, and myself. He sounds like a disgusting creature.

            I glance around at the weaklings gathered nearby. A fully recovered Kakorott is standing next to his brat. The bald headed midget, the onna, three eyes, and scarface are standing nearby. The future boy and the Namek, like myself, are standing several feet away from the others, lost in our own thoughts and not really interested in being too close to the others.

            Finally Kakorott speaks. "I think I have an idea."

            Everyone looks over at him, including me. The baka actually thought of something? This should be good. I bet he's going to suggest we all get something to eat or something equally stupid and irrelevant. Although I have to admit, with all of the fighting I've been doing the last few days, I'm starved. But now is not the time to be worrying about that.

            "What's that dad?" The brat asks, looking up at Kakorott.

            "Well, I know a way to get a whole years training in one day." He states.

            Despite the source, I find my interest caught. That's an impossibility though. I have no idea what the baka is talking about.

            The annoying keeper of the Lookout, who just joined us, speaks up. "You mean the Chamber of Spirit and Time. Don't You?"

            "Yeah. Do you think we could use it, Mr. Popo?"

            "I don't see why not. But only two at a time can go in."

            "I'm going first." I speak at the same time as the boy from the future does.

            We both glare at each other for a moment and add. "I train alone, boy. I don't need anyone else getting in my way."

            "Vegeta, we need to work together on this." Kakorott's annoyingly cheerful voice pipes up. "You and Mirai can go in first, then Gohan and I will go in."

            Seeing that I don't have much of a choice I simply grunt my assent.

            "This way." The groundskeeper says, motioning for us to follow him.

            As I pass the future boy I can't help but add, "But you'd better not get in my way."

            I can feel his glare as we travel through the Lookout. It takes a couple of minutes to reach the Chamber and if the groundskeeper hadn't been guiding us it would have taken a lot longer. The inside of the Lookout is like a maze, and is actually a lot larger than it looks from the outside.

            "Here it is." He finally stops and motions to the door in front of us.

            "Thank you Mr. Popo." The boy thanks the strange man and pulls the door open.

            I don't wait for him to finish opening it; I simply push pasted him and enter the Chamber. I can feel his glare heat up for a moment, before he follows, closing the door silently behind himself.

            The inside of the Chamber is plainly furnished. Just inside the door is a living area; complete with two, king size, curtained beds; a humongous refrigerator that, upon opening, I find is filled with more food than even two Saiyan's could eat in one year; a dining table with two chairs; and a huge bathhouse with a king size hot tub inside. Past the living area the rest of the seemingly endless Chamber is a pure, almost glaring, white. We both look around for a moment before the boy heads out of the living area to start warming up. I watch him warm up for a moment, admiring his body. He's actually pretty handsome. I shake my head and frown as the thought enters my head. I can't believe I actually thought that about Kakorott's spawn. Even if he is from the future. Shaking my head I decide that I had better eat now. Since we'll be in here for a whole year I have the time to spare at the moment, and I'm starving.

            I pull enough food out of the refrigerator to make a snack, promising myself that I'll have a full meal later, and sit down to eat. Now, of course, my snack consists of a lot more than those baka ningens eat for a full meal. But Saiyan metabolism is vastly different from the weaklings that inhabit this planet. There has never been a fat Saiyan; our bodies turn all of the food we consume into energy. We are a race of elite warriors. Even our craftsmen and scientists spend at least half of their waking hours training. Unlike ningens Saiyan's need only five hours of sleep to function. We can actually survive for long periods of time on only two, but if we go for too long then it starts to affect our fighting. After finishing my two chickens, four submarine sandwiches, and seven bowls of rice, I clean the mess and move past the boy to start my own warm up.

~~Three Months Later~~

The routine of train, eat, sleep continued for several months. Neither one of us knew how much time had passed outside nor were we willing to leave the Chamber to find out.

            An idea had been forming in my mind for several weeks now. I found myself watching the boy a lot when I wasn't currently training. He is definitely a warrior. The way he moves, the way his eyes watch everything, even the way he stands, always ready for action. He's actually very handsome. I hate to admit it, but I find myself attracted to him. He's intelligent, strong, brave, and a true warrior. Unlike his baka father, or the brat in this time. After much debate, I finally move over to where he is training. We've divided the room in half, as much as is possible in this endless place, and I know he notices when I enter his area.

            He is currently working below Super Saiyan, strengthening himself, as I am, in normal form first, then working in the higher level. I'm sure he has realized, as I did, that the stronger a Saiyan is in his normal form, the stronger he will be when he transforms. I stand nearby as the boy continues to train, pointedly ignoring me. After several minutes of this I finally have enough and snap at him.

            "Boy, spar, now." I growl.

            He completes the complicated series of punches and kicks he was working on before pausing. He's still facing away from me.

            "I thought you trained alone, Vegeta." He finally replies, mockingly.

            "I do, but now I'm in the mood to beat someone, and, since you're the only one here, you'll have to do." I reply impatiently.

            "And what if I don't want to spar with you?" He asks, turning to look at me with a smirk to match my own on his face.

            "It wasn't a request." I reply as I power up and launch myself at the boy.

            He easily dodges my attack and grabs my arm, stopping me long enough for him to speak.  "And I never said I refused."

            Then he backhands me, sending me crashing to the ground as he releases my arm. I spring back up and shoot off a quick ki blast, which Gohan easily deflects. I follow the blast with a physical assault, catching him in the chin and sending him flying backwards. The spar continues for several minutes, with both us remaining in our normal forms. Finally though, I decide to take the fight up a notch and quickly power up to Super Saiyan. Gohan remains in his normal form for a little longer, but is forced to transform himself to avoid being beaten.

            We continue to exchange blows, neither of us getting the upper hand, before we separate and simultaneously power up our best ki attacks.

            "Gallet Gun!" I cry, sending a huge blast of energy at Gohan.

            "Kamehameha split shot!" He calls in reply, sending an attack back at me.

            My eyes widen as Gohan's blast meets mine, then splits into two, one keeping my blast at bay, the other swirling around my blast straight towards me. I try to get out the way, but react too late. The blast hits me full in the chest, sending me flying backward several yards. I drop out of Super Saiyan as I land, grunting in pain and struggling to get up.

            Gohan lands a short distance away and also drops back to normal. He watches me slowly push myself to my feet. I shake my heard to clear it, then turn and glare at him.

            "Where did you learn that attack, boy?" I demand, extremely pissed.

            "Developed it on my won." He replies.

            He doesn't move forward to help me as I stagger forward. Unlike his baka father, he seems to realize that a true Saiyan accepts help from no one. Our pride doesn't allow it.

            "Hn." I reply, then add, as I pass him, "Not bad, boy."

            Gohan smiles, recognizing the compliment, and realizing that I rarely give them.

            "You did well too. And I'm not a boy anymore, Vegeta, so you can quit calling me that."

            "We'll see." I reply, heading for the living are to rest and eat.

            I've noticed that he's not a boy anymore, in more ways that one, but I'm still not ready to admit it, especially to him.

            Gohan follows me and starts preparing a meal without comment, realizing that I'm no condition to do so. He's a whole lot more observant that his father, and how he and Kakorott can be related is beyond me. They are almost completely different. Gohan is smarter, a better fighter, and is a whole hell of a lot handsomer. I don't comment as I watch him put together a Saiyan sized meal. He's been doing most of the cooking anyway. I can cook, I just prefer not to. That's a task for servants. I only cook if I absolutely have to. To my surprise I've found that Gohan can actually cook very well. 

When I asked him about he simply replied, "I live with Bulma."

            I'd nodded at that, shuddering a little at the thought of the onna's cooking. She may be a genius by human standards, but she is dangerous when in the kitchen. If Gohan was living with Bulma in his time, then we would have had to learn to cook for himself. It was either that or starve. Eating the woman's cooking was not an option is one wanted to live a long and healthy life.

            After that we decided that if we really wanted to challenge ourselves to improve and get stronger, we would need someone to practice on. So, our spars continued, with individual training interspersed between fights.

~~Four Months Later~~

            Several months later I woke at my usual time, around 5 in the morning. Since this strange place has no noticeable day and night time, I can only rely on my instincts and internal clock to tell me what time it is. Like any true warrior I go from fully asleep to fully awake without any pause in between. I sit up, push back the curtain surrounding my bed, and stand up. I walk to the bathhouse and grab my uniform once inside. Unlike humans, Saiyans have no taboo about showing the naked body. That baka, Kakorott, would probably have a fit if he saw me walk across the room unclothed, as would his brat. But Gohan seems not to have a problem with it. Yet another difference between him and the brat from this time.

            I change quickly and grab something to eat. It isn't until I'm seated at the table that I notice that it's too quiet. I look up and search for the boy, but he isn't in his normal spot. I had been shocked to find that there was actually someone who got up earlier than me to train. The first week we were in here I found out that the boy normally slept only three or four hours a night. I was amazed that he could function for long periods of time with that little sleep, but he informed me that he didn't have time to sleep in his time. The androids could and did attack at any time of the day or night and he had to be ready. Even with a Saiyan's metabolism, though, it was beyond me how he could still fight so well with so little sleep. Especially since he was part human. That should mean that he needed more sleep than a full-blooded Saiyan. He was truly amazing in some ways. Even though I would never tell him this, from his descriptions of his home, it sounds like he has had a worse childhood than I did.

            I frown, when I don't see the boy and turn to look at his bed. The curtains are still drawn shut, and a quick scan of his energy shows him to still be in bed. I find that very strange, but if he wants to slack off in his training and imitate his father, who sleeps more than anyone I else I have ever known, then he can. As long as it doesn't affect my training, it doesn't concern me. I finish eating, clean up, then head out to train.

            After a couple of hours I notice that the boy is up. He is sitting at the table, his back to me, eating breakfast. Today is our day to spar, so, annoyed that I had to wait, I walk up to the boy and bark, "We've wasted enough time. Spar, now."

            He looks up at me and I see something off in his eyes, but I push the thought away and simply glare at him. He finally stands and follows me out of the living area, leaving his meal half finished on the table.

            As soon as we get far enough out I power up and attack him. We've been doing this long enough that he knows what to expect, but he seems to be surprised when I attack and I manage to land a solid blow to his stomach that makes him double over in pain. He powers up after a moment, just in time to block another of my attacks.

            I attack him mercilessly and he seems barely able to protect himself. I get angry, he's not even attempting to fight back, just block mine. Fed up with this I power up to Super Saiyan, intent on teaching him not to play around with me. I punch Gohan hard enough to send him crashing to the ground, then send a weak ki attack at him, trying to get prove to him that I'm not playing around. He struggles back up and looks up in time to see the blast heading towards him. The blast hits him full on and he screams in pain before collapsing to the ground.

            I freeze in surprise for moment as he collapses, then wait for him to get up. When he makes no further move I power down and land near him. Now that I'm closer I can see that the boy is unconscious.

            "Pathetic." I mutter, walking past him and toward the living area.

            Once there I prepare myself a meal and sit down to eat. After the meal I sit down to meditate, deciding to wait for Gohan to wake up so that I can have a proper fight with him.

            Two hours later I realize that he still hasn't moved and, truly worried, I get up to check on him. When I reach him I bend down, turning him over so that I can inspect him better. I let out a hiss of surprise when I see the burns on his chest, face, and arms. A blast at the level I had thrown at him shouldn't have even phased him. I shake my head and lift him up, intending to put him in his bed. I can at least get him out of my way so I can continue my training.

            I hiss in surprise again when Gohan's head lolls to the side to rest in the crook of my neck. Even through my armor I can feel the heat radiating off of him. I stare down at him and frown.

"Boy, why didn't you tell me you were ill?" I ask his unconscious form.

I carry him back to his bed and lay him down. The burns aren't bad, mostly first degree. With a start I realize that I should have noticed that the boy wasn't feeling well. Gohan's power level had been lower than normal and slightly erratic. His breathing had been ragged, even before we started sparing, and his timing was off. Hell, even his tail, which was normally wrapped around his waist to keep it out of the way, had hung limp during the fight.

            Now that I think about it, I should have known something was wrong when I got up and he was still asleep. Plus there was the meal the boy had been eating. When I'd gotten my own meal after knocking him out I'd seen the remains of it. A few pieces of bread and a cup of tea was nowhere near enough to feed a healthy Saiyan, even for a light snack.

            I examine him even more, noting the sheen of sweat covering his brow and the slight grimace on his lips. His face is paler than normal, and the fur on his tail has a dull appearance, rather than the healthy shine it normally has. I go to leave, intent on getting some more training in, when he suddenly calls out.

            I turn back to him to see him thrashing on the bed. His eyes are squeezed shut, his hands balled into fists, and his teeth clenched so hard I'm surprised they haven't started to crack from the pressure. I pause, not sure what to do. Normally I wouldn't care. It's his problem, not mine. He should have said something earlier. But lately, around him, I've started feeling things that I haven't felt for anyone before. And right now I have the urge to help him, though I don't really know how.

            Before I can make up my mind on what to do Gohan cries out again and suddenly sits straight up on the bed. He moves so suddenly that I almost jump from the surprise. I force myself to breathe normally as my heart thuds rapidly in my chest. He opens his eyes, looking around frantically for a moment, as if not knowing where he is. His gaze finally settles on me and he relaxes. He smiles slightly for a moment, before falling back onto the bed.

            I stay frozen, still not sure what to do. He groans softly and rolls over onto his side, his back to me. I can see him trembling slightly, probably from the fever. I finally move. I walk hesitantly over to him. When I reach his side I stop, again not sure what to do. Part of me wants to just turn around and leave, but another part wants to take him into my arms and hold him, try to make him feel better.

            "I'm sorry, Vegeta." He whispers, almost too softly for even my Saiyan hearing to pick up.

            "You should have told me you weren't feeling well." I snap, but it lacks any real anger behind it.

            He rolls over and looks up at me. His cheeks are red, his eyes unfocused, but the look of determination on his face surprises me.

            "It doesn't matter." He says, looking me in the eye. "We have to train. We have to beat the androids and Cell."

            I open my mouth to respond, but can't find anything to say. He sounds so much like me that it's almost scary. He's willing to kill himself if it means that he'll get stronger and be able defeat his opponents. Except, his reason isn't selfish, like mine is. He wants to help people, save the planet. I want to beat that annoying baka, Kakorott and claim my rightful place as strongest warrior in the universe. I've actually started feeling guilty about it sometimes, though I try to ignore the feeling.

            He looks away when I don't say anything, and starts to get up. My hand automatically reaches out, stopping him with a gentle but firm pressure on his shoulder. He looks up at me in surprise, and I smile at the look his face.

            "Rest. Even warriors need to rest to recover from being ill." I tell him, pushing him back down.

            "But . . ." He starts, looking at me in confusion.

            "Rest." I say again.

            He finally nods his head and lays back, closing his eyes. I wait until he falls asleep again before moving away. I hesitate for a moment, then head out of the living area to train, keeping one eye and ear on Gohan.

            About an hour later I feel a sudden increase in his ki. I stop in mid-strike and turn to look at him. His eyes are open and his hands and jaw are clenched. His hair is flickering between black and gold, and his eyes from black to green. I rush over to him, hoping to calm him down before he destroys the area. Even though his eyes are open they are unfocused. He doesn't seem to register my presence until I reach out and touch his shoulder, trying to wake him from whatever nightmare he's in.

            He jerks away from me, throwing himself over the other side of the bed and facing me. I stay still, but ready to act if he decides to attack. He pauses, blinks, then seems to realize where he is and what is happening. He drops out of Super Saiyan and stands there, facing me, for a moment.

            "Vegeta . . ." He starts, then his eyes roll back in his head and he collapses to the ground.

            I move around the bed to his, lifting him up so I can examine him. He's clearly unconscious again. His breathing ragged and strained, and his face covered in a sheen of sweat. I lay a hand on his forehead, checking his temperature, and jerk it back in surprise. He's warmer than before, a lot warmer. I know that a human's temperature is usually around 98 degrees and a Saiyan's is around 102 degrees. Since Gohan is half and half his should normally be somewhere around 100 degrees, but right now it feels closer to 107. Even for a Saiyan that is dangerously high.

            If I don't find someway to cool him down he could die or come out of this with permanent brain damage. Sighing, I life him up and carry him to the bathhouse. Once inside I turn on the water in the tub to cold. As I start to strip him down he stirs.

            "V . . . geta?" He asks, looking up at me with eyes that don't seem to be focusing.

            His voice is harsh and dry, barely above a whisper. I try to give him an encouraging smile.

            "Just relax. I'm trying to get you cooled off." I tell him, continuing to strip him.

            He merely nods his head, probably too exhausted and confused from the fever to really argue with me. After stripping him I go to put him in the now full tub, and pause. In his condition, if I leave him in there on his own, he's likely to drown. Frowning, I lay him down next to the tub and start to pull off my armor.

            After stripping down I lift him back into my arms and slowly lower the two of us into the water. I force myself not to show my discomfort as the cold-water touches my warm skin. Gohan whimpers slightly, shifting in my arms. I sit down carefully and set him in my lap. He shifts, only partly conscious, and curls up in my lap, resting his head on my shoulder.

            "Thank you . . . geta." He mumbles, sighing and drifting off to sleep.

            I look down at him, then wrap my arms lightly around his waist, holding him gently. A small smile spreads across his sleeping face, and I get myself as comfortable as possible, trying not to enjoy the feel of him in my arms too much.


End file.
